Agriculture

Agriculture is an occupation. It's a lifestyle and a business. It involves producing crops and raising livestock.

The first people who arrived in the area now known as Iowa were farmers. They planted corn, beans, squash and pumpkins. When European settlers arrived, they too decided to make a living from Iowa’s rich soil by planting crops and raising animals such as cows and pigs. As time passed, Iowans used railroads and waterways to turn farming into big business. From the pizza delivered to your front door or the ethanol fueling your car, agriculture now provides us with products that were unimaginable to the first Iowans.

With advances in science and technology, agriculture has changed. But here's something that hasn't changed: People all over the world depend on Iowa’s farm products. Can you predict how the business, science, and lifestyle of agriculture will be different in the future? How will those changes affect you?

From the days of growing simple vegetables to today's diversified farming, explore the rich story of agriculture in Iowa. Your discoveries may surprise you!

Media Artifacts

Investigation Tip:
Get up-close and in-depth when examining artifacts such as photographs. Look for details such as clothing, technologies or street signs in old photographs to learn more about the past.

About Iowa Public Television

Iowa Public Television is Iowa's statewide public broadcasting network. IPTV provides quality, innovative media and services that educate, inform, enrich and inspire Iowans throughout the state.

A noncommercial, public-service mission enables IPTV to present an unequaled array of programs of lasting value to Iowans regardless of where they live or what they can afford. More than two million viewers each month turn to IPTV for programming that reflects a range of interests for Iowans in all demographic categories.